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Vermont

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CNA Schools in Vermont

Vermont is a relatively small state in New England known for its status as a winter wonderland. In fact, thousands of visitors flock here every winter for skiing and other winter sports. With over 75 percent of the state covered in hardwood forests and with the northwestern part of the state bordered by Lake Champlain, Vermont is filled with natural beauty. Vermont is also known for being a major producer of maple syrup and for being the home of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. It is also a progressive state when it comes to health care. CNAs are an integral part of the healthcare team as they provide much of the hands-on care to the 17 percent of the state’s residents older than 65.

About Vermont

– Capital: Montpelier
– Minimum Wage: $9.60
– Number of Hospitals: 14
– Number of Nursing Homes: 3,199

Population

– Total Population: 626,562
– Population (ages 45-64): 187,862
– Population (ages 65+): 106,199
– Population (ages 85+): 14,107

Top Colleges & Unversities

– Middlebury College
– Bennington College
– University of Vermont

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in Vermont

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CNA Training Requirements

Taking the Test (Procedure)

Out-of-State Applicants

Renewing & Expired Certification

Applications & Forms

Contacts & Additional Resources

The Vermont State Board of Nursing regulates CNA training programs and manages the Registry. In Vermont, CNAs are called LNAs, or Licensed Nursing Assistants. The most direct route to becoming certified is to take a state-approved training program followed by the competency evaluation. Training programs are required to have at least 80 hours of training with at least 30 of the hours spent practicing skills in a local health care facility under the supervision of a registered nurse.

CNA students are allowed to work as non-licensed personnel for up to 120 days as they train and test. In this case, employers are required to pay testing fees as well as most training fees. However, the 120-day grace period cannot be extended for any reason. Also, nursing students and graduate nurses may apply to take the competency evaluation without completing prior training if they have completed a Fundamentals of Nursing Course and at least 30 clinical hours.

To begin CNA training, applicants must be at least 16 years old and eligible to work in the United States. While they will not need to have completed high school, a high school diploma may be beneficial for those considering furthering their education in the future. Students will need to have fingerprints taken for state and federal criminal background checks; background checks must come back clean. Students must be physically fit with full varicella, MMR and hepatitis B vaccines and negative tuberculosis screenings.

The Vermont State Board of Nursing works through the American Red Cross to provide the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program through Pearson VUE. Students must pass this examination successfully within three attempts and two years. Those who do not follow these requirements will be required to complete a full training program before retesting. Testing is offered at four regional sites. The fee for the examination is $130, which may be covered by employers for students who are already working at licensed health care facilities.

Pearson VUE uses a two-part examination to test CNA knowledge as well as skills. The knowledge examination can be taken in a written format with pencil and paper or in an oral format, which is taken with a tape. Those who wish to take the oral examination must indicate this on their initial applications. The written option has 70 multiple-choice questions, and the oral option has 60 multiple-choice questions plus ten basic reading comprehension questions. This section must be completed in two hours or less.

Students demonstrate five skills in front of an Evaluator during the skills section. One of the tasks is hand washing, and another is taking a measurement, such as a radial pulse. The other tasks are randomly selected on test day. The skills are performed on a volunteer actor. Students will have 30 minutes to complete all the skills. Applicants typically find out their scores for both sections on test day. Both sections of the test must be completed on the same day initially.

CNAs moving to Vermont can request to have their certifications transferred with them. The cost to apply for endorsement on Vermont’s LNA Registry is $20. To be eligible for endorsement, CNAs must be active and in good standing on their prior state’s registry with no complaints of patient abuse, neglect or maltreatment. They must undergo a criminal background check. Also, they must have worked at least 400 hours for pay under the supervision of a licensed nurse. Those who have not worked this number of hours must have completed an approved CNA training program within the prior two years to waive Vermont training and skip to the competency examination. Those who do not meet any of these qualifications must retrain and retest in Vermont.

Vermont CNAs must renew their certifications every two years to remain active. The Registry sends out renewal notices approximately 60 days before the expiration date. The expiration date is November 30 in even years. To renew, CNAs must have worked at least 400 hours in the past two years under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. CNAs who passed the competency evaluation in the prior two years do not have to meet this work requirement. Renewal is free. Those who have not worked the required hours will need to pass the competency evaluation again before being returned to an active status.

Links
Vermont Department of Health
Vermont Board of Nursing
Vermont Nurse Aide Registry

Contacts
Office of Professional Regulation
89 Main Street, 3rd Floor
Montpelier VT 05620-3402

Employment Information for Vermont

Average Salary for CNAs in VT

The average salary for CNAs in Vermont is $26,700 per year or $12.84 per hour. While this figure is higher than what is seen in many other states, it matches the higher cost of living that Vermont natives have. In fact, it is less than $3,000 lower than the state’s income per capita of $29,167. CNAs in larger cities, such as Montpelier and Burlington, can expect to make more than this.

Job Outlook in VT

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics currently lists 3,360 job opportunities for CNAs in Vermont. Within the next decade, this number is expected to increase by up to 20 percent due to the quickly aging population. Of the 627,000 state residents, 106,000 are 65 and older, and 188,000 are between 45 and 65.

Employment Opportunities

Top Hospitals in Vermont
Hospital NameAddressCityStateZipPhoneWebsite
Rutland Regional Medical Center160 Allen StreetRutlandVT05701802-775-7111Website
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital17 Belmont AvenueBrattleboroVT05301802-257-0341Website
Brattleboro RetreatAnna Marsh LaneBrattleboroVT05301802-257-7785Website
Central Vermont Medical Center130 Fisher RoadBerlinVT05602802-371-4100Not Available
Copley Hospital528 Washington HighwayMorrisvilleVT05661802-888-8888Website
Gifford Medical Center44 South Main StreetRandolphVT05060802-728-7000Website
Grace Cottage Hospital185 Grafton RoadTownshendVT05353802-365-7357Website
Mt. Ascutney Hospital And Health Center289 County RoadWindsorVT05089802-674-6711Website
North Country Hospital And Health Center189 Prouty DriveNewportVT05855802-334-7331Website
Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital1315 Hospital DriveSaint JohnsburyVT05819802-748-8141Website
Northwestern Medical Center133 Fairfield StreetSaint AlbansVT05478802-524-5911Website
Porter Medical Center115 Porter DriveMiddleburyVT05753802-388-4701Website
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center100 Hospital DriveBenningtonVT05201802-442-6361Website
Springfield Hospital25 Ridgewood RoadSpringfieldVT05156802-885-2151Website
University Of Vermont Medical Center111 Colchester AvenueBurlingtonVT05401802-847-0000Website
White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center215 North Main StreetWhite River JunctionVT05009802-295-9363Website

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